A specialist rescue team from Malaga is set to fly to Venezuela to help search for survivors after two powerful earthquakes devastated parts of the country this week.
The deployment, organised by Malaga’s Provincial Fire Consortium and backed by the Malaga Provincial Council, consists of 10 firefighters, a trained search dog and specialist search-and-rescue equipment designed to locate people trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
The team is already at Madrid-Barajas Airport, where they are ready to leave for Caracas as soon as Venezuela’s main airport reopens and authorities confirm it is safe for international rescue teams to enter the country.
Flights have been disrupted following the twin earthquakes, which struck on June 24 and have left widespread destruction.
Their mission will focus on the crucial first phase of the emergency response, when the chances of finding survivors are highest.
The firefighters are equipped with thermal and infrared cameras, sensors and other specialist technology capable of detecting signs of life beneath rubble, alongside their search-and-rescue dog trained for disaster situations.
Malaga Provincial Council president Francisco Salado praised the team’s readiness, saying the deployment once again demonstrates the province’s ability to respond to international disasters.
He noted that Malaga firefighters have previously taken part in rescue operations following major emergencies, including the earthquakes in Turkey and Morocco, as well as Spain’s devastating DANA floods.
Emergency experts stress that the first 48 to 72 hours after a major earthquake are critical for locating survivors, which is why the Malaga team remains on immediate standby awaiting clearance to travel.
The twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, have killed at least 180 people, injured more than 1,500 and caused widespread damage to homes, infrastructure and essential services across northern Venezuela, with international rescue teams now converging on the affected areas.
